Alex Cintron and the Diamondbacks

[The Zot]

Can anybody tell me how you get scored an error by dropping a foul ball? I didnt see the game, but I dont see how you can get an error...runners can't advance.

[quickfingerz]

It's an error because it's meant to help pitching stats.

An Error occurs when there should be an out.
Let's say there are 2 outs, bases loaded and there is an error in foul ground. Even if the pitcher gives up a HR, none of those runs are earned.

[The Zot]

Well the game log says that there was one out and one runner already aboard from a previous error by Spivey. The foul ball was dropped, but Ibanez lined out in that at bat...so how was there an error? Doesnt seem right to me.

[jdh]

Because they have to call the error right there if it was an error, they can't wait to decide if it would have resulted in a run or not and then charge him with an error. If there's a play that should have been made resulting in an out, the player that screws up gets charged with an error. Whether that error would have affected the pitching stats or not doesn't change whether it's charged.

[The Zot]

Here is the official rule on Foul ball errors

(a) An error shall be charged against any fielder when he muffs a foul fly, to prolong the time at bat of a batter whether the batter subsequently reaches first base or is put out.

Learn something new everyday...and I thought I KNEW this game.